Storage tank



Get. 6, 1936. .1. c. INBODEN ET AL ,0

STORAGE TANK Filed July 19, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 6, 1936. J. c.INBODEN ET AL 5 STORAGE TANK Filed July 19, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 rm MWPatented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES STORAGE TANK John C. Inboden andCole E. Johnson, Canandaigua, N. Y.

Application July 19, 1934, Serial No. 736,121

9 Claims.

This invention relates to storage tanks for holding a supply of oil andvolatile liquids. In all such tanks it has been a problem to minimizeevaporation from the surface of the stored liquid and various means havebeen provided to counteract this evaporation, one means being theprovision of a roof which rests directly upon the surface of the liquidand rises and falls within the shell of the tank as the level of theliquid varies following an inflow of liquid into the tank and a drawingoff of the same from the tank. It has been found that, notwithstandingthe success of these floating roofs, there is still considerable leakagearound the edge of the roof, and the present invention seeks to providean improved floating or pontoon roof which will rise and fall readilywithin the shell as the level of the liquid varies and also providemeans whereby the leakage or evaporation around the edge of the roofwill be very materially minimized, if not entirely prevented. Theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will behereinafter first fully described and then more particularly defined inthe appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a storage tank embodying ourinvention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the tank.

Figure 4 is an elevation, partly broken away and in section, of aportion of the tank on a larger scale.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail section through an upper corner of thetank.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing a variation.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail section on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

The shell I of the tank is of the usual cylindrical construction and isgenerally of a large capacity, frequently being one hundred feet indiameter. The roof 2, according to our invention, is inclined from itsperiphery toward its center, as shown clearly in Figure 2, and isprovided at its center with a sump 3 into which rainwater will flow sothat it will be collected and may be carried to a point of dischargeinstead of overflowing the edge of the roof and mingling with the oilstored in the tank. The outlet from the sump 3 consists of a pipe 4formed in a plurality of sections connected by hinge joints and havingits upper open end secured in the sump, as

The roof carries, at its periphery, a pontoon 10 6 which extends aroundthe entire periphery of the roof and may be divided internally bypartitions or bulkheads into a plurality of air chambers so that thebuoyancy of the roof will be maintained even though, through someaccident, a wall of the pontoon may be punctured or otherwise damaged soas to destroy its efliciency at the point of damage. The pontoon, ofcourse, follows the circular contour of the roof and extends close tothe side of the shell. Upon the inner side of the shell are tracks orvertical guides l which may be of any preferred form and which areengaged by rollers 8 at the upper ends of arms 9 which are mounted uponthe pontoon and extend upwardly and outwardly therefrom toward theshell. This arrangement keeps the roof to a vertical path as it rises orfalls and the tracks may be extended the full height of the shell orthey may be provided only in the upper portion thereof through thenormal range of movement of the roof. The arms 9 rise from. base membersit which are slidably engaged in and held by cleats or similar guides Hon the upper side of the roof, and they are disposed on radii of theroof, as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings.Radially alined with each arm 9 and the guides H, a plate I2 is securedupon the roof and provided with bearing lugs l3 at its ends, as bestshown in Figure 5, an adjusting screw l4 being inserted through thebearing lugs and having threaded engagement therewith, and a handlemember I5, of any approved design, being fitted upon the screw betweenthe bearing lugs, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 5. The outer end ofthe screw has a swiveled connection, as shown at IS, with the basemember I D so that the base member and the arm will be caused to travellengthwise of the guides II in one or the opposite direction accordingto the direction in which the screw is turned. The rollers may be thusreadily disengaged from the tracks if, for any reason, such action maybe desired, or they may be caused to engage the tracks with any desiredfriction, or to compensate for Wear.

9; travel of theroof presents different portions of A cover plate I! isprovided upon the pontoon 6 and is disposed at the margin of the pontoonand of arcuate formation so as to conform to the shell and the roof.This cover plate is formed in a series of arcuate sections, as shown inFigure 3, and upon each section is secured a bracket I8 which extendsradially outward from the plate and the roof and is bifurcated or forkedin its outer end portion and turned downwardly so as to extend into thespace between the shell and the side of the pontoon, the extremities ofthe bracket or arm being formed into open bottom yokes, as shown at I9.At intervals, upon the outer side of the pontoon, are bulkheads orplates 20 which extend radially from the pontoon and are disposed atintervals corresponding to the location of the arms or brackets l8, theupper ends of these plates or bulkheads being provided with open-endedslots or notches 21 extending through the upper edges of the plates, aswill be understood upon reference to. Figure 6 and the dotted lines inFigure 5. Between theshelland the pontoon, we mount elongated sealingrollers 22 of rubber vor-other material providing an elastic surfacewhich are so arranged as to bear against the inner surface of the shelland thereby cut off evaporation at the points of contact between theshelland the rollers. The rollers are also so adjusted thatthere will bejust enough f clearance between them and the pontoon to avoid actualcontact so that, as the roof moves upwardly or downwardly, the rollerswill rotate and not slide upon the shell, the very slight clearancebetween the rollers and the pontoon minimizing evaporation at thatpoint. The rollers are, of course, made in sections extendingcircumferentially about the pontoon and, as they are of soft rubber orsimilar material, they will readily adapt themselves to the curvature ofthe shell as the the roller surfaces to the shell. The rubber bodies ofthe rollersare mounted upon metal cores or shafts 23 which are alsoformed in sections corresponding ,to the several sections of the rubberrollers and each shaft, or section thereof,

is provided at one end with a socket, indicated at 24 in Figure 6, andat its opposite end with a reduced stud 25 to engage in the socket inthe meeting end .of an adjacent section so that the shafts or cores willbe firmly supported and will, in turn, support the rubber rollers. Tominimize wear upon the inner surfaces of the rubber rollers and toresist excessive flexibility therein, the rollers are provided withmetallic elements, such as a spiral steel rod 60, embedded in the rubberbody and presented to and encircling the core or shaft 23. The rollersarejthus provided with metal centers to run on the supporting cores androtation of the rollers is facilitated. The meeting ends of theshaftsections are engaged in the notches 2! in the bulkhead plates 20,as shown in Figure 6, and may readily slide in said notches or bearings.To reinforce the plates around the bearings and to more firmly supportthe shafts,

" plates 26 are bolted to' the sides of the plates 20 above and belowthe shaft and, are'construct'ed with notches in their meeting edges sothat they will fit around the shaft. The shaft is thus firmly supportedand prevented from rising out of the notch or slots 2|.

The cover plate I! projects beyond the side of the pontoon was to extendover the rubber rollers and protect the same from the weather and isprovided in its margin with radial slots or openings 21 to accommodatethe brackets l8, as shown and as will be understood. A flange 28 isprovided on the outer side of the pontoon at the top of the same and thecover plate is provided on its underside with hooks or lugs 29 which areadapted to engage under this flange 28, as shown in Figure 5, so thatthe cover will be held to the pontoon at all times. An apron or sealingplate 30 is provided on the outer wall of the pontoon and. extendsdownwardly and outwardly under the adjacent rollers, as shown in Figure5, so that it will constitute a seal to further minimize evaporationbetween the rollers and the roof. The ends of the rubber rollers areprotected against disintegration by metal collars or plates 3| which arecarried by the ends of the spiral 60 or other bushing in contact withthe ends of the rollers, as

will be understood upon reference to Figure 4. The spiral constitutes asleeve or bushing in the roller and the collars or disks 3| rotate withit and the roller upon the shaft 23. Theroller. the bushing and thedisks are mounted as a unit upon the core or shaft. Mounted upon the maybe moved toward or from the shell of the tank, as will be understood.The bulkhead plates 20 are provided with horizontal slots, as indicatedby dotted lines in Figure 5, and the plates 26 may thus be set closer toor farther from the shell in an obvious manner so that it is possible toaccomplish an approximate adjustment by properly setting the bolts whichsecure the plates 26 to the sides of the bulkheadplates 20 and then afine adjustment may be effected by manipulating the screws 33 and theproper contact between the rollers and the shell thus accuratelyattained.

In Figures '7 and 8, we have shown a variation in the mounting of therollers which may be preferredin some instances. The rollers and theshafts or cores which carry the rollers are the same in this form of theinvention as in the first-described form, but the bulkhead plates 20 andthe apron or sealing plate 30 are omitted, the shafts or cores beingmounted in split bearings 36 at the ends of arms 31 whichcorrespond tothe arms or brackets l8, except that they are not secured upon the coverplate 38 but are mounted slidably at their inner ends in tracks orguides 39 provided on the cover plate at the edge of the same. Thepontoon is equipped with the flange 28, as before, but the cover platehas its marginal portion connected with its main portion by a hinge, asindicated at 40, at the outer ends of the tracks 39 so that verticaladjustment of the rollermay be effected by'swinging the main portion ofthe cover upwardly. Mounted upon the cover plate in radial alinementwith the guides 39 is a block 40 having upstanding lugs 4| at its endsand an adjusting screw 42 is inserted through and has threadedengagement with said lugs, and a handle member 43 is secured upon thescrew between the lugs. The outer end of the screw has a swiveledconnection with the bracket 31, as indicated at 44, so that, by properlyrotating the screw 42, the bracket 31 and the rollers may be adjustedradially toward or from the shell to elfect the proper contacttherewith. The cover plate is also provided at intervals at its inneredge with tongues or extensions which pass between the side members ofan arch-like frame 46 secured upon the top of the pontoon. This frame 46is provided with a slot 41 in its upper end to accommodate the upper endportion of a screw 48 and is also provided in its sides with openings 49to receive the ends of trunnions 50 at the ends of an axle 5| throughwhich the screw 48 passes and with which it has threaded engagement, asshown clearly in Figure 8. The lower end of this screw is swiveled in arocker 52 which has its ends pivoted in lugs 53, at the sides of thetongue 45 and mounted on the screw, above the frame 46, are nuts 54whereby the screw may be locked in any position to which it may beadjusted. In the upper extremity of the screw 48 is an opening 55through which a turning pin may be inserted to effect rotation of thescrew. The axle 5| and the rocker 52 serve to maintain the screw in theproper engagement with the frame and the cover plate, while the slot 41,in the top of the frame accommodates the rocking movement which thescrew will have as it is moved upwardly or downwardly. By loosening thenuts 54 and then inserting therproper turning pin in the opening 55, thescrew may be rotated and, as it rotates, it will ride up or down throughthe axle 5| to raise or lower the cover plate and thus eifect a verticaladjustment of the rollers 22. The varying angular position of theadjusting screw will be accommodated by the rocking of the axle 5| inthe sides of the frame 46 and the pivotal turning movement of the rocker52 in the lugs 53 so that there will be no binding or bending of any ofthe parts.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will be seen that we have provided a verysimple and easily manipulated means whereby the evaporation around theedge of the pontoon roof will be very effectually minimized, if notentirely overcome. The several parts are simple in construction and maybe provided in such numbers as may be deemed necessary or desirableunder any given circumstances.

The tank, of course, is provided with the usual walk or runway 56whereby workmen may have access to the roof whenever it is necessary toinspect or adjust any of the parts of the same or to make repairs, orfor any other reason access to the roof may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, we claim:

1. In a storage tank, the combination of a shell, a pontoon rooftherein, vertical tracks on the shell, radially disposed guides on theroof, arms extending upwardly and outwardly from the roof and havingtheir lower inner ends slidably engaged in said guides, rollers at theouter ends of the arms to run upon the tracks on the shell, andadjusting screws mounted on the roof in radial alinement with the armsand having swivel engagement with lower ends of the arms whereby toadjust them radially on the roof.

2. In a storage tank, the combination with a shell and a pontoon rooftherein, of flexible sealing rollers disposed between the shell and theroof adjacent each other and constituting a seal for the roof, coverplates on the roof extending over the rollers, and means on the coverplates for supporting the rollers and adjusting them to maintain contactwith the shell.

3. In a storage tank, the combination with a shell and a pontoon rooftherein, of a cover plate on the roof projecting beyond the side of thesame, sealing rollers disposed between the roof and the shell adjacenteach other and constituting a seal for the roof, bulkhead plates on theroof supporting said rollers, and means on the cover plates foradjusting the rollers into contact with the shell.

4. In a storage tank, the combination of a shell, a pontoon rooftherein, sealing rollers disposed between the roof and the shelladjacent each other and constituting a seal for the roof, a cover plateon the roof, brackets mounted on the cover plate and providing bearingsfor the rollers, and means for effecting adjustment of the rollers tomaintain contact with the shell.

5. In a storage tank, the combination with a shell and a pontoon rooftherein, of sealingrollers disposed between the roof and the shelladjacent each other and constituting a seal for the roof, a cover plateon the roof, means on the cover plate for supporting the rollers, andmeans for efiecting vertical and horizontal adjustment of the rollers.

6. In a storage tank, the combination with a shell and a pontoon rooftherein, of flexible sealing rollers extending circumferentially aboutthe pontoon and held in contact with the shell and disposed adjacenteach other to form a seal between the roof and shell.

7. In a storage tank, the combination with a shell and a pontoon rooftherein, of sealing rollers extending between the roof and shellcircumferentially thereof adjacent each other to constitute a sealbetween the roof and shell and consisting of metal cores, and flexiblebodies mounted on the cores and in contact with the shell.

8. In a storage tank, the combination with a shell and a floating rooftherein, sealing rollers carried by the roof and extendingcircumferentially about the same adjacent each other to constitute aseal between the roof and shell, and means on the roof for adjusting therollers to maintain them in contact with the shell.

9. In a storage tank, the combination with a shell and a pontoon rooftherein, of brackets mounted on the roof, means for adjusting saidbrackets radially of the roof, and sealing rollers disposed at ends ofthe brackets adjacent each other to constitute a seal between the roofand shell, said rollers extending circumferentially about the roof andheld by the brackets in contact with the shell.

JOHN C. INBODEN. COLE E. JOHNSON.

